Smoky beetroot soup

There's a lot more to beetroot than the ubiquitous pickled version that many of us grew up with. This soup works well either chilled or hot and sometimes I like to serve it in small portions in an espresso cup as an amuse at dinner parties with some vodka in it!

4 medium sized beetroot peeled and roughly chopped1 carrot peeled and roughly chopped1 leek chopped2 sticks celery roughly chopped1 large potato thinly sliced1.5l beef or veg stock2 cloves garlic roughly chopped1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika (if not smoking the beetroot on the BBQ)1 tablespoon tomato purée1 bay leaf2 sage leavesOil for fryingSalt and pepper to tasteJuice of half a lemonFor the BBQ enthusiasts amongst you. You could lessen the amount of smoked paprika in the ingredients and hot smoke the beetroot with oak chips at 100c (indirect heat) for 40 mins.Sauté the carrot, celery and leek on a medium heat until softAdd the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutesNext add the smoked paprika and tomato purée and cook out for 5 minutesAdd the beetroot, bay leaf, sage leaves and potato and pour in the stockBring the soup to the boil and then simmer on a medium heat for 30 minutesAllow the mixture to cool a little before whizzing in a blender If you want an extra smooth textured soup you can pass it through a sieveReturn to the pan and season with the lemon juice, salt and pepperI like to serve this with a dollop of creme fraiche mixed with grated fresh horseradish.